


Burnt Maps and a Tooth Fallen Down the Drain

by FredGeorge123



Category: A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
Genre: Depressed Quigley Quagmire, Eating disorder but it has nothing to do with appearance, Gen, Guilty Beatrice, Guilty Quigley, Insomniac Isadora Quagmire, Miscommunication, Paranoid Klaus Baudelaire, Quigley smokes, Recovery, Sad Duncan Quagmire, Sad Violet Baudelaire, Strained Relationships, Sunny has forgetton about Count Olaf and canon, everyone is a mess, what a mess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-15 17:45:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16937835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FredGeorge123/pseuds/FredGeorge123
Summary: Quigley Quagmire has guilt issues and depression.Isadora can never sleep and has issues with everyone excepts Duncan.Duncan is silently sad and wants to mend and move on but can't.Sunny wants to help her siblings but doesn't remember how.Violet doesn't know how to fix non mechanic things and feels that she should.Klaus is frustrated and sometimes can let his feelings get the better of him.Beatrice just watches because who is she to pretend to be a part of the Baudelaire family and cause them more suffering?Main focus is Quigley and Sunny.





	1. Three years after canon: Quagmires

Isadora Quagmire didn't sleep. She disliked that three years have passed since leaving the Great Unknown with everyone else and four years since it all happened but she still didn't sleep.

She wanted to sleep but she couldn't sleep.

She needed to sleep but she didn't sleep.

Isadora wants to drift into peaceful darkness away from this world, a different world which she remembers back then when she could sleep but she didn't want to sleep (she'd anything to be back there or at least give her old self a good shake about how much she envied her old self and that was just for sleep) and when there times she didn't particularly need sleep but did sleep.

But Isadora couldn't sleep. No matter how much she tossed and turned. No matter how tired and worn out she felt. There were times when she slept with Duncan but still couldn't sleep.

Isadora needed sleep. All humans did. Her dark circles were a reminder of that. Her aching bones were a reminder of that. Her struggle to do simple tasks whether from being half-asleep (but never fully) or from weakness (she always felt weak; she was so weak).

But Isadora didn't sleep. She knew the world of peaceful darkness was not hers anymore. That world had turned into a world where she visited her past but not the past she wanted to visit.

The past in which she went to was full of the noise of creaking metal, the smell of filth, the taste of hunger, the sight of the VFD insignia and feelings, so many feelings, of anger, sadness, fear, tiredness, desperation, frustration, depression, so many feelings, endless feeling, new feelings, the repeat of old feelings, feelings never leaving-

And she would wake up.

Not to say she'd never ever ever sleep. She wouldn't be alive if not. Of course she'd sleep at times and sometimes sleeping with Duncan would give her a glimpse of a peaceful world full of darkness but that was hardly ever compared to the endless and countless sleepless nights.

She knew that she hated sleepless night slightly less than nights in which she visited the past she didn't want to go.

The past she wanted to go to...

Well...

Isadora Quagmire had two brothers. Once upon a time, her relationship with both had the same quantity of love and understanding.

Not anymore.

She knew that Quigley wasn't to blame.

But deep down she knew she wasn't to blame either.

Duncan and Isadora didn't see much of Quigley despite leaving in the same house.

Quigley had a job at a coffee shop. The owners would never fire Quigley from that job because Quigley would spend all day there apart from high school hours, sleep hours and weekends.

They'd never voice out the reason why he'd spend so much time there but they all knew.

Isadora and Duncan had accepted Quigley's death by the time he was found out not to be dead. So she and Duncan knew that if Quigley died for real they coukd accept it because they once had and, ever since Quigley's reapperance, they hadn't mended their relationship to an extent even to their relationship before the fire.

They would barely talk.

Duncan and Isadora were so close that no one could even dream of having even half as close as a relationship with either of them.

Quigley had long realised that his love and devotion to VFD was wrong. But before that, Isadora really felt like she hated Quigley for loving the cause of all her monsters. And she wasn't understanding and gentle when trying to get Quigley to see how horrible VFD was. And neither was sweet, kind Duncan. He was wasn't forceful like Isadora but most of the time he just avoided Quigley.

They learnt slowly that they didn't want to lose each other again after gaining each other. And Quigley learnt and understood VFD and its horridness.

Then they got well...

But Isadora and Duncan's nightmares and monsters and Quigley's lack of nightmares and monsters blew it up.

Duncan would wake up screaming. Isadora cry and choke from nothing and everything.

At first Quigley tried to help. He'd try so much. He'd do everything in the book and more.

But Quigley's voice didn't soothe anyone.

Isadora could see so clearly that Quigley really wanted to help.

But he couldn't help.

Nobody could help Isadora and Duncan.

Except each other.

No one else.

Including Quigley.

So Isadora and Duncan would help each other.

Because they could help each other.

And Quigley wouldn't help them.

Because he couldn't.

And at age seventeen Isadora would hardly ever wake up in the morning (one would have to sleep to wake up) and see Quigley take his bag and wave good bye with a fake smile and go out.

And she slump onto the sofa and wouldn't know what to do.

IQQQDQ

Duncan Quagmire had always been quiet.

In class he'd never talk nor outside.

Even at his home before the fire he was the quietest due to often reading although he wouldn't say quiet per say. Least loud.

After the fire he was always quiet.

In the orphans shack he and Isafora would joke and cry and talk and discuss and comfort. But they were never loud.

With Count Olaf he was always quiet. Not daring to utter a word in fear of the consequences. Although there was a single time he wasn't deadly quiet there. That time where he woke up to find out that Isadora had been hurt and he had slept through it. He still felt disgusted at himself til this day. But Isadora begged him not to and he complied. Because Isadora had so many thngs not in her control and hurting her and Duncan wasn't going to be one of them for her sake.

At Hector's hot air balloon they couldn't feel safe. They talked to each other dometimes but they were quiet for the fear if someone getting angry for they chatter scared the both of them, Hector was good and kind and understanding. But they just couldn't. Luckily, thank god, Hector didn't put it against them. But in Hector's hot air balloon Duncan realised something. He could hardly ever eat. He felt sick looking at food. He wanted to eat it so bad but even a plate could trigger him. He was so used to have been given very little that now he didn't know how to eat a normal amount without making himself sick. Over the years he ate better. Him being alive was a symbol that he was. But he couldn't eat more than a plateful. Thank god that Isadora didn't have the same problem. She already had chronic insomnia, people issues and PTSD, she didn't need more than that.

At the Great Unknown... Duncan hated his time at the Great Unknown just as much as his time with Count Olaf. Because VFD, abusive and cruel and selfish and despicable VFD, had someone he had care very much about twisted around their little finger. Duncan didn't like looking at Quigley for that. He trusted VFD so much and ignored everything about it. About something that had hurt Duncan and Isadora.

Present-day Duncan had a photography job. He wanted to have a job which had to do with actually writing the reports but they refused so Duncan had setlle with this. The Quagmires didn't use the Quagmire Sapphires, cutting off all ties from it. They were poor as hell so they all decided to take a years off before getting into college and just focusing on high school and the bills.

Their apartment was a three bedroom with one bathroom, living room and kitchen. No one ever talked about how one of the bedrooms was usually unoccupied almost every night.

Duncan looked at Isadora beside him. She was writing notes or something. Her waist length hair was in a messy braid which Duncan had braided for her. Her side bangs were pushed back by a green headband and she was wearing a white full sleeve, button up shirt and baggy black pants and green sneakers. She had dark circles under her dull green eyes and her face was expressionless.

The country they lived in wasn't the same one they used to nobody knew about the kidnapped Quagmires, Duncan and Isadora, who had supposedly lost a brother in a huge fire along with their parents and were heirs of a huge fortune.

Nope.

They only knew quiet what's-his-name the loner who was the brother of that emo girl who never heard of sleep and probably self harms and cries over MCR and Quigley Quagmire who aces in everything and is friendly enough but is hard to get to.

Duncan hears the whispers but ignores them.

He often wishes that things were different. He really did. He wished that they all could be Isadora, Duncan and Quigley the triplets who knew each other better than they knew themselves and would tease and laugh and be with each other and for each other and go to school and confuse everyone and make other friends. But...

They were Isadora and Duncan... and Quigley. Isadora and Duncan who knew each other so well and needed each other so much that a moment apart was living hell. Quigley who didn't know hardly anything and they knew hardly anything about Quigley. They'd never laugh or tease and rarely talked. Anytime a conversation started then Quigley would pull away from it after one or two of his own remarks.

And Duncan hated it.

Isadora and Duncan walked to the corner store. Isadora brought a chocolate bar. Duncan brought nothing.

Hopefully Isadora didn't notice.

IQQQDQ

Quigley sat on a bench in the park. He liked the park. It was quiet because Quigley wanted it to be quiet and wanted to be somewhere quiet.

Home was quiet but that was because Isadora and Duncan were quite awkward with Quigley and Quigley was quite awkward vice versa. He didn't like talking to them even when they tried to. He'd remind himself that they probably just do it from guilt which they don't deserve to have. So he'd say something, maybe even chuckle but then he'd go out. He didn't want to be burden to his siblings.

His siblings hated him. Quigley know and he couldn't blame them. What sort of human being naively and unconditionally supports with adoration an organisation that clearly without even properly hiding abuses children and just stood while they did nothing to help his siblings?

Like Quigley did.

That's why Quigley was always out of home. 

Quigley took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one up.

He remembered hating cigarettes and ranting about how they pollute the air and could kill someone.

He chuckled.

He remembered the time on the Great Unknown. Isadora shouting at him and Duncan leaving at the sight at him.

And him...

He accused them and wouldn't take any blame. He really didn't want to admit that he was a puppet and was wrapped around VFD's finger. He preferred thinking of being a firefighter and defeating cruel people.

All while being part of a different group of cruel people.

Quigley sighed.

He had been so one sided and didn't try to understand his siblings.

He even had told them that their suffering was a part of the greater good. That-

No. He didn't want to think about that.

-they should-

Quigley growled.

-Be-

Get out of my head.

-h-

Get out!

-o-

Get the hell out!

-n-

SHUT-! 

Then Quigley noticed a very young girl sitting on another bench.

All thoughts were lost as he stared at the girl.

She was ten at most.

Should he confront her?

Should he leave her? 

Should-?

"Smoking is bad for your health? What are you, like sixteen? And destroying your lungs already?"

Quigley blinked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefu 


	2. Baudelaires POV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look at Violet, Klaus, Sunny and Bea.

Violet checked the engine. It seemed to be in good shape. Mrs Rys will be glad. That was the last order of the day which meant she could go home now. Violet closed the garage and put on her normal clothes and went out. Klaus was waiting for her for ten minutes now. He complained about how she told him to come at this time and then she was late. Violet chuckled as they walked back home.

Violet was eighteen years old. It had been two years since leaving the island. Klaus was sixteen while Sunny was and Bea was five.

Violet was still good at inventing but she barely invented. But she was a mechanic. She fixed things and earned money for it.

She knew how to fix things.

She knew how to fix things because she understood them and their functions and their problems.

But she didn’t know how to fix her problems and her siblings’ ones.

So they couldn’t go back to their normal life.

And that’s because she doesn’t understand them or their functions and their problems good enough.

She understood a bit but not enough.

And that scared her. Her parents told her that she was the oldest and she was in charge and was responsible for her siblings.

Violet knew some of the problems.

She knew Klaus would overthink about everything and everyone. He could sleep at night but he preferred to stay awake and keep watch. Just in case.

Just in case.

And Violet couldn’t promise him that they’re safe so she sometimes stayed up so he could sleep and told him that’ll she’ll keep watch. Just in case.

Just in case.

Klaus hadn’t gotten over the trauma. Violet felt like she had. She could sleep at night and eat properly and talk to people and smile.

But Klaus can’t.

And because Klaus can’t… Violet can’t either.

Violet doesn’t want it to sound as if Klaus was keeping her from having a normal, peaceful life.

That’s not true.

Just because Violet has the better mental health out of the two of them doesn’t mean that she is one hundred per cent healthy. She couldn’t live without Klaus and she’d wake up at night sometimes out of breath.

She couldn’t live without Klaus. And she couldn’t live without Sunny. Or Bea.

Klaus couldn’t live without the others too. Every night he would go around the house just to check if everyone was there. Violet was a light sleeper and she often woke up when Klaus opened her door to check. Just in case.

Just in case.

Sometimes Violet would pretend to sleep so she didn’t make Klaus feel guilty about waking her up. They were able to sleep at night good enough but there were nights with nightmares and so every peaceful night still seemed like a blessing. Other times she would wake up and talk to him. They would often stay up all night and randomly talk. It was nice to hear each other’s voice.

Sunny and Bea could sleep well. They’d sleep perfectly fine and wake up and go to school perfectly fine.

Sunny was quite an unruly child of six years although she could pass as a ten year old. She wasn’t bad-mannered but she’d speak her mind and break any rules that disagree with her. Klaus scolded her for it but sometimes it was quite funny. Although sometimes Sunny got overconfident which would bite her in the back one day and it scared Violet.

Her cooking skills had gotten even better over the years and she would use that unfairly in her advantage. If they let her do something that they would dislike her to do then she’d refuse to cook dinner. Klaus was quite bad at cooking. He used every word from the cookbook but if he thought (key word being thought) something could be replaced by something else then he would use it to see if it works for next time. And if it didn’t work he’d still forget the next time. As for Violet, she got caught up in the mechanics and other things that whatever they were cooking would burn to crisp. Bea was learning from Sunny but she didn’t have the natural instinct and passion for cooking like Sunny did.

So Sunny was the absolute opposite from a cinnamon roll and they loved her for it.

Bea, on the other hand, was quite a sweet and polite girl. She was very good with people and everyone who passed her would fine her a most darling child. Unlike how the Baudelaires had found an interest at very young ages, she had yet to find something that interested her particularly and that she had a passion for. But that was okay.

Sunny and Bea were glued together and best friends despite being very different. It was kind of how Violet and Klaus were always together and each other’s support. But that was because Violet and Klaus shared the same horrific past and understood each other due to it.

Sunny… They both love her dearly. They both couldn’t live without her. But they aren’t like how they were before.

Sunny had forgotten everything.

She had forgotten hanging by a cage, saving them all by showing that Ink was friendly, her first allergy reaction to peppermint and her sword fight against Georgina Orwell using her teeth. She had forgotten Isadora and Duncan, climbing up the ersatz elevator with her teeth, being accused of being the head murderer of Count Olaf and trying to delay so they could stop what would have been Violet’s death. She had forgotten being Chabo the baby wolf, being kidnapped by Count Olaf (and meeting Quigley), nearly dying from being in that helmet of Medusoid Mycelium and burning down the hotel. And she didn’t remember the island and barely remembered the year they spent there.

Of course she wasn’t to blame. She was only an infant back then. Of course she’d forget. Violet has forgotten some things about their parents and so has Klaus. They couldn’t remember their old house at all.

But… it still hurt that Sunny couldn’t remember their shared trauma.

But Violet was also glad that Sunny had forgotten. She wished that she and Klaus had forgotten everything. It would have been so much easier.

Violet opened her now shoulder length brown hair and tied the ribbon around her neck. She took a cup of tea and sat down in the living room and opened the laptop and chose a show. She slowly watched it so she could stay awake all night. Just in case.

Just in case.

VBKBSBBB2

Klaus was sixteen. He always wondered how life would be at sixteen.

He’d dreamed of electives and learning and getting his license and researching for colleges. Having high marks and Violet coming home and giving them a detailed description of college and Sunny starting year one and scaring everyone with her teeth and taking no crap from anyone because she always seemed like that sort of person.

He didn’t imagine waking up at every little sound and deciding to keep watch and being suspicious of everyone who said two words to him and weren’t his siblings (Bea was his sister). Just in case.

Just in case.

He didn’t ever think of just in case.

It never came up and he had no reason to think of it.

He didn’t imagine deciding that he would drop out of high school by the end of the year so there would be less pressure on Violet and hoping to somehow find any crappy college that would take him in a few years’ time. Like Violet did. He didn’t imagine living in a three bedroom apartment which was okay but he didn’t ever imagine that happening or them struggling to pay the bills, rent and school fees. He didn’t imagine going through a ton of trauma with his siblings and feeling frustrated because one of them couldn’t remember it.

Sunny couldn’t remember it. He sometimes mentioned something and Sunny would question about it because she didn’t remember.

And at times like those Klaus would sometimes find an excuse to get out of the house to get himself together because he couldn’t break down in front of Sunny. He didn’t want her to feel guilty for something that wasn’t in her hands and actually for the better for her. It wasn’t Sunny who he wanted to avoid. It was the reminder that she didn’t remember. After a few hours at the library he’d come back and play a few board games with Sunny and they’d laugh and joke. But there were unspoken things left hanging.

Klaus sat down and Bea listened attentively to the facts he was telling while Sunny yawned and complained. Violet was cleaning the dishes and she was also listening and putting her two cents.

Klaus was extremely thankful for Violet. Violet, who would comfort him and understand him and listen to him. And he would do anything to protect her. And Sunny and Bea too.

That’s why he would always remember to walk around the house every night at least a couple of time. Just in case.

Just in case.

That’s why he would always check if everything was in order. Just in case.

Just in case.

That’s why he’d make sure to inspect anyone and everyone and every place and everything. Just in case.

Just in case.

That’s why he would make sure security is perfect. Just in case.

Just in case.

That’s why he would make sure that he knew where the knives were. Just in case.

Just in case.

VBKBSBBB2

Beatrice had known the Baudelaires her whole life. Ever since she was born they took care of her. When she grew up to understand them a bit then she realised that they were quite sad people. She hated them to be sad.

But they were good people. They told her about her mother who died giving birth to her and was quite brave through pressure. They told her about her father who died by a harpoon-gun and was very clever and intelligent. Violet would help Beatrice with drawing and end up drawing something that Violet would grumble at and Bea would laugh at. Klaus would always brush her hair into the most messy and ugly braids ever to exist but Bea would walk around the whole neighbourhood no matter how messy the braid was. Sunny would make whatever Beatrice wanted and made sure Beatrice ate it all and would then mumble about how she just didn’t want Bea to be hungry otherwise she’d be in trouble.

They were dumb and Bea loved them.

But they were still not perfect.

Beatrice saw how Violet was always conflicted. She wanted to fix everything but she didn’t realise that she couldn’t fix everything and that was okay and it would take everyone to get through the monsters that were still alive no matter how small and wounded they were. That they’d always be alive but it’ll take everyone to make them more bearable and tolerant.

Beatrice saw how Klaus would always fear about the ‘what ifs?’ and how is face would sadden when Sunny reminded him that she couldn’t remember what he remembered clearly and saw on a significant amount of nights.

Beatrice saw how Sunny didn’t have demons and that was a good thing but… Sunny heard the stories and so overestimated herself. She thought that with her siblings and her teeth that they would be invincible. And that wasn’t true.

Beatrice wanted to help them but… who was she to intrude on them?

She already burdened them because she was another reminder of their past. And she shared no monsters with them. She wasn’t related to them or a help to them in anyway.

So Beatrice wouldn’t interfere but only pray.

VBKBSBBB2

Sunny couldn’t sleep.

Violet was keeping watch while Klaus and Bea were sleeping. So Sunny decided to maybe go outside for a little. Her teeth were sharper than knives and she had been told that she had a sword fight using her teeth and won.

And Violet wasn’t as paranoid as Klaus. Anyway Sunny would only go out for an hour and leave a few pillows in her place. No one had to know.

So Sunny jumped out of bed and put on her blue tracksuit and tied her light brown hair into a ponytail. Suddenly something trailed on her teeth.

“Hey Ink,” Sunny smirked. Ink waved his head. Sunny patted him. She really wanted to take Ink but she knew that that could backfire so Sunny left him. She told him through signs that she was going out for a while and for him not to tell anyone and that she would be back.

Ink looked like he disapproved but Sunny begged him so he finally grudgingly agreed. Sunny grinned.

She opened the window and waved him goodbye. Then she held onto the pipe and carefully climbed down to the bottom. Ink’s head popped out to see if she was okay. She gave him thumbs up and he glared at her.

Sunny shrugged. She had to go through the window. Violet was probably tinkering. She was the best inventor in town (and probably the world) so everyone would place orders for her to complete. So that meant Violet was probably awake and so Sunny couldn’t just walk out of the door without Violet noticing.

The young girl walked to where the path would take her. She promised to go just straight so she didn’t get lost.

So straight she went.

Everything was dark and extremely quiet. The world was quiet here.

Sunny walked to the street and hummed softly. No one was out. Good. For them.

Soon Sunny saw a park. So Sunny decided to jog there.

It was only her and the trees and the animals and-

Some jaded teenager.

Sunny sighed.

She hated jaded teens. Always acting as if they had the world on their shoulders over a test result or actually wanting to be depressed.

The teen was smoking. He had black hair and his skin was illuminated by a streetlight.

Sunny wasn’t worried. Jaded teens were only a menace to themselves.

And Sunny didn’t mind talking to someone.

And she always had her teeth.

So Sunny walked over to the nearest bench to the boy that wasn’t the bench he was sitting on and sat down on it. The bench felt cold as she put her hands on it. Sunny looked at the boy. He had unruly black hair which was slightly under ear length and a fringe that covered his forehead. He hadn’t slept in a while as his dark circles told and he was wearing a dust coloured trench coat (Sunny wanted one) and was sitting with folded legs on the bench. Suddenly he noticed her and Sunny looked away just in time.

He looked as if he was contemplating whether to talk to Sunny or not. Sunny finally got bored nd said the first thing that came to mind;

"Smoking is bad for your health. What are you, like sixteen? And destroying your lungs already?"

He looked taken aback and Sunny felt a sense of satisfaction although she knew Klaus would probably scold her at her rudeness. The hypocrite. She was just correcting the boy. Klaus would and does the same. Every single time. No matter who.


	3. Loneliness and Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you really want to read a chapter with people meeting each other without knowing each other's identity but if they did then they'd realise that they know the other quite well, siblings barely talking to each other and a brother wanting to protect his sister from the world without realising the potential consequences then this chapter is for you.

The girl looked at Quigley with a bored expression. It took Quigley a few moments to find his voice again. "W-what does it m-matter to you?" he asked her angrily.

She shrugged. Her light brown eyes travelled to her lap and she looked up again.

"It doesn't. Probably matters to your parents though," she said coolly.

Quigley clenched his teeth, "What about your parents? Do they endorse that you be up so late and unaccompanied absent from home? What are you, like eight?"

"I can protect myself," the girl said with obvious confidence. Quigley scoffed. Even he shouldn't be out this late but let's not get in the details. Besides, Isadora and Duncan hardly mind.

Quigley felt envious at the thought. But he knew they're not to blame. They had been abused for months with only each other for comfort while Quigley turned out to be a part of an organisation which did nothing to help them and then Quigley-

He-

He-

He brought his attention to the girl. She was attentively examining him and waiting for a response. Quigley sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Oh? And why is that?" he challenged her.

The girl smirked and showed her teeth. Which were as sharp as knives…? What on Earth…? Quigley's eyes widened and he felt shocked. It took a while for him to string some words together. That was probably the reaction the girl wanted (of course it was) because her smirked widened. Whatever. There have been stranger things. Like Volunteer Feline Detectives. Or him able to fly a helicopter all by himself. Quigley allowed a small snicker at the memory. He had been terrified and really did not want to be flying a helicopter.

"So you'll bite someone if they mess with you?" Quigley asked, regaining his composure. The girl looked disappointed that she didn’t get as much as a reaction as she probably wanted. But she regained her smirk and half lidded eyes.

"Bingo."

They stayed silent for a while more. Only the sound of crickets chirping was heard. A bench in a park and a streetlight illuminating its surrounding. The only company for someone who passed by was the multiple trees and the wind softly blowing but chilly nonetheless. The teenager who was smoking and alone because he didn’t want to bother his siblings (and maybe he didn’t have the courage to face them either… His mother told him he was brave… What a damn joke) and a young girl who was out so late for reason or another didn’t count.

Oh yeah... she was still there. Quigley didn't know how to continue the conversation or if he should continue the conversation. And then if it was too late to continue the conversation. And then he wondered if-

"Do you come here every night?" the girl's voice cut through his thoughts. Quigley's head snapped towards her.

He didn't know why but he didn't expect her to talk to him. He looked at her for longer than necessary when he realised he should answer. It wouldn't hurt...

He shrugged and threw his now burned out cigarette (in the bin because why should he hurt nature?) and thought for a second how to respond. For a second he was tempted to say 'the world is quiet here'. Then he felt sick at the thought and hastily lit another cigarette. He took a deep breath and took an inhale from the cigarette. He should find something more efficient. Cigarettes worked way better when he was fifteen. Probably because he never thought he would see the day that he would start smoking back then.

Although not alcohol. He wanted to be in control of what he did. And alcohol could do a lot of damage. Whatever, cigarettes were still okay.

He exhaled and answered, "Sometimes it's nice to be alone."

The girl hummed in agreement. Quigley bit his lip and was unsure of what to think about a not even teenage girl able to relate to wanting to be alone.

"I didn't realise this was a sad occasion," she murmured and Quigley froze for a second before regaining himself. It could just be a coincidence... Yeah... Hopefully...

Quigley didn't know what to think. But he knew that it would be suspicious if he didn't act normal so act normal he did.

“So, why are you out so late?” he asked.

“Couldn’t sleep,” she answered, “Had to climb out from the window in order to not be caught.”

“Your parents wouldn’t notice?”

“I’ll only be out for a bit. Besides, hopefully my friend will keep watch so my siblings don’t find out,” she said and then her eyes widened for a millisecond. Quigley could scarcely recall it happening but he was quite sure. He didn’t question her statement although he was tempted to ask about what she meant by siblings and not anything else.

They talked a while longer before the girl decided she should get going.

"Goodnight, uh..."

"Call me Victor," Quigley said. He very well knew where the name came from.

"Izzie," the girl answered back. Quigley felt his heart sink but he shook it off.

Izzie stood up and zipped up her white and light blue jacket and ran a hand through her light brown hair. Then she started jogging and left Quigley staring.

Should he follow her? She was young and shouldn't be out alone especially late at night even if her teeth were sharper than those of a shark. But he would look creepy stalking a young girl late at night…

Quigley closed his eyes and stood up. He could still see the girl-Izzie- jogging although she was quite far. He kept following her despite his embarrassment about how wrong it would look out of context.

Izzie didn’t seem to notice him. She kept on jogging. And Quigley kept on following and hoped no one would see an older teenage boy following a young girl without her knowledge.

Why did he have to put it that way now?

Izzie then walked through a gate and closed it and went to the back of the house. Quigley sighed in relief and walked away. He wondered if he should go home or somewhere else. Isadora may be awake and he didn't want to burden her.

He often would walk around the city but he didn't like it. There were gangs and a lot of people Quigley preferred not to interact with. But he didn't like walking in the middle of nowhere. He didn’t like travelling either. Reminded him of the days he spent trying to get to Paltryville and the Mortmain Mountains.

Quigley decided that he would go home instead.

Quigley decided to take the train home. He had gone far and on bus the last time. Quigley brought his ticket and waited for his train to come. When it did, he sat down and waited till his stop came. When finally his stop came then he got out and walked the rest of the way. When he reached home he took out his key and slowly opened the door.

Isadora was nowhere in sight which meant that Duncan wasn’t either. So Quigley sighed in relief and walked in. The living room was clean which a surprise to Quigley. But he brushed it off and slowly walked to his room. He took off his jacket and scarves and looked at his room.

His bed was neat but the floor needed a sweep. He had thrown a few cigarettes on the floor and a familiar purple commonplace book was on the ground. For some reason Quigley never had the heart to burn it despite his absolute hate for it. Quigley picked it up and threw it with force and hate into his messy closet. His uniform for the café he worked at was hung on a hanger. It reminded Quigley that he needed to wake up early. So Quigley decided it was time to sleep. It was late. 2AM in the morning. Not the latest but still. Quigley lay down on to his pillow and closed his eyes. He soon drifted into peaceful darkness (how lucky was he to have it when Isadora had it hardly ever and Duncan had nights where he didn’t).

 

Quigley was awake just as fast as he was asleep and he squinted at the sunlight coming out of the shutters. He checked the time. It was 12 PM and- Wait what?

Quigley sprang up quickly and stared at his alarm clock. It couldn’t be right. He never woke up at 12. He was supposed to wake up three hours ago. He swore under his bed and sprang up and quickly up on his uniform and apron and nearly fell on his way outside. He rushed to the bathroom and quickly brushed his teeth and combed his hair and then put on his shoes.

He quickly went to the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of cereal. He sat down and opened the news channel to see if anything happened. Isadora and Duncan didn’t like the news channel. They hated hearing horrible stories but they were at school so Quigley kept it on.

Nothing interesting was happening but they did say that no news is good news.

“You were up late…”  A voice caused him to jump out of his thoughts. Quigley’s head snapped behind him and he saw Duncan still in his pyjamas looking at him attentively. Quigley hastily changed the channel before Duncan saw it, if he hadn’t already, before answering.

“Um yeah…” Quigley said, “I thought you would be at school…?” he asked feebly. Duncan smiled tiredly. He took a seat beside Quigley causing Quigley to fidget uneasily. He hoped Duncan didn’t notice. He avoided eye contact shifting his attention to the TV. It was an animal channel Quigley sighed in relief.

“Isadora was too tired to go to school today,” Quigley glanced at Duncan and saw his smile had grown fonder. They both knew very well that Isadora had sleeping problems and this was good news. Quigley felt a smile tug on his lips slightly but he didn’t allow himself.

“Oh…”

“Are you going to work today?” Duncan asked. Quigley was very lost here. Duncan did sometimes try to initiate conversations with Quigley but Quigley was lost every single time. Good old Duncan… He probably didn’t want Quigley to feel like he didn’t belong here at all but Quigley knew better. As soon as he left would be sooner for Duncan to go to Isadora and for both of them to be comfortable and for Duncan to not pity him.

“Yeah… Should go now otherwise I could risk getting fired…” Quigley muttered and got up and grabbed his bag.

“I doubt that… You are always there,” Duncan joked. Quigley felt his heart tug at it but he brushed it off and mumbled a quick goodbye and went out quickly.

He really did hope his boss wasn’t mad…

 

 

 

Duncan’s eyes didn’t leave the door from which Quigley was retreating even after Quigley had left and the door had been closed. Duncan sighed. Quigley didn’t even finish his cereal. Duncan decided to finish it. His stomach agreed with it so Duncan thought it safe to eat some more. He didn’t want to die and not eating would cause just that.

He was really glad. The day had gone good so far. Isadora was still snoring for once and Duncan was able to keep down quite a bit of food. There was Quigley’s hasty retreat but Duncan had gotten used to it. He still was sad because this was his brother who had chased away all his bullies and was always ready to do anything for him and Isadora but Duncan guessed things changed. Quigley never wanted to talk anyway. He found, what Duncan thought was, solace and peace in work And Duncan wasn’t going to stop him from being happy. And Duncan would be lying if he didn’t find it easier this way. He had forgiven Quigley for the whole VFD thing and about trying to convince them to join VFD and defending VFD but it still brought back bad memories.

Duncan went into his bedroom and took out a plaid button up shirt and grey pants. Duncan put them on and brushed his hair and sat down in the living room. He wasn’t going to leave Isadora at home. She wouldn’t leave him at home alone either. It would be hell for the both of them. Just to be apart after all that had happened.  He would panic about whether Isadora was safe or if someone came or if she was having a panic attack or a nightmare or if she was panicking about him or if she needed help or anything. They had all the same classes and sat next to each other in every class. They wouldn’t have it any other way.

Suddenly he heard a groan and he rushed into the room. Isadora was stretching and awake.

“Morning,” Isadora said, groggily.

“You should go back to sleep,” Duncan frowned. With her sleeping problems, Isadora needed as much sleep as she could manage.

“Once I awaken I cannot even try to fall asleep/But my heart is satisfied for that because for once it my slumber was deep,” she grinned cheekily. Duncan rolled his eyes.

“Okay get up then and have breakfast,” Duncan demanded her. Isadora chuckled.

“Sure, whatever,” Isadora said, “Did you have breakfast?” she asked casually. Duncan almost took a sigh of relief. She wasn’t suspicious about his eating habits. But Duncan did eat today so he didn’t lie. He hated lying to Izzie but he had some secrets from her even though he wished he didn’t.

“Yep, I ate heartily,” he said and Isadora rose out her arm for him to lift her up. Duncan complied. Isadora wobbled and grinned. She went into the bathroom and came out wearing white button up shirt with lace sleeves, collar and lace under the buttons, a black ribbon under her collar to tie around her neck and a knee length black skirt along with white stockings and black shiny sandals. She tied her hair into a short ponytail and went into the kitchen. Duncan followed her.

After Isadora had breakfast they both decided to go for a jog. They liked the park in the morning. It was normal. There was no aura of awkwardness or unspoken words and feeling of regret and ambiguity unlike home. Even without Quigley, Duncan would often find himself remembering their good friends the Baudelaires (Duncan wondered where they were now. Hopefully not a part of VFD… They were smarter than that… Then again Duncan thought Quigley had been… Nope, let’s not start again after Quigley realising and apologising for it and forgiving Quigley) and about the secrets he kept from Isadora and Isadora’s difficulties. There were no memorable memories of the park so it was nice. There were birds and children who hadn’t had their childhood ruined and happy people. Duncan liked happy people despite how Isadora would rant about how some people were extremely ignorant.

Duncan and Isadora walked a while and chatted a bit. Suddenly Isadora stopped and Duncan turned around in confusion.

“Izzie? What happened?” Duncan asked in concern. Please tell him that she was okay, Duncan felt himself panicking slightly.

“Hmm… I was just wondering about that episode of VLD. Monsters and Mana? Yeah?” Isadora said slowly. Duncan sighed in relief. Isadora would often watch Netflix late at night. She liked VLD. Duncan also liked it. Isadora liked Shiro best. Duncan personally thought Allura was pretty great.

“Yeah? What about it?” Duncan asked.

“It’s based off DnD, right?”

“Yeah…?”

“We should totally play DnD!”

Duncan chuckled, “Sure, one day…” Then Duncan said an idea, “Hey Izzie?”

“Yeah?” Isadora asked. Duncan suddenly put his hand on her shoulder. Isadora looked at him in confusion and anticipation.

“Tag, you’re it!” Duncan said and then sprinted off. Isadora yelped and then ran after him and shouted, “Prepare to lose!”

“Not a chance, old lady!” Duncan shouted back and ran. Isadora ran after him and shouted in indignation.

They kept running around the park and Duncan felt glad. Today was a good day indeed. Isadora was energetic for once. Maybe all she needed was sleep.

CRASH!

Duncan bumped into someone and they both fell.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry? Are you okay? Do you need someone? I am so sorry! I’m really, really sorry!” Duncan stumbled over words in panic and felt his whole face flush. He lend out his hand.

“I’m fine, and it’s okay,” The girl said. She had pale skin and her blonde hair was in a ponytail. She looked very young and had a sweet round face. She stood up and gave him a small smile.

“I am so sorry!” Duncan apologised again with looked at her with concerned eyes. She stood up and dusted off her clothes and gave him a smile.

“Don’t worry. I’m fine, really,” she said and looked around. Suddenly a girl ran up to her.

“Bea! You okay?” she asked concernedly, “You’re not hurt, are you? Do you need a doctor? Should I call Klaus? Or-”

Bea shook her head, “I’m fine, Sunny,” she smiled sweetly. Sunny (Duncan’s heart dropped in remembrance of the small baby with very sharp teeth and who shared the same name) still looked concerned. She turned to Duncan and clenched her teeth. Her…

Sharp teeth…

No… It had to be a coincidence.

There was no way…

No way at all…

It couldn’t be…

But…

Sunny was saying something but Duncan couldn’t hear her.

Oh my god.

Oh my god.

He had to make sure…

It could be a stretch and his hope could go in vain but it was worth a shot…

Duncan then realised that and angry Isadora was engaged in debate with this Sunny who could be just who he thought she was…

Isadora’s face was flushed and was shaking her fist and Sunny’s eyes were narrowed and she pointed her chin upward.

“It was an accident-”

“She could have got hurt-”

“-didn’t your parents teach you both to look where you’re going?”

“Didn’t yours teach you not to be so one-sided and typical?”

“…What did you just say?”

“You heard me.”

“I’ll show you one-sided and typical, you-”

“Bite me-”

“Maybe I will-”

Suddenly both the girls had their hands up and ready. That was Duncan’s queue. He grabbed Isadora and at the same time Bea had grabbed Sunny. Bea pulled Sunny away and Sunny let out a string of curse words. Duncan winced. Isadora let out her own string of curse words.

Duncan then thought about the girl- Bea. Who was she? And how did she have any relationship with the Baudelaires? Supposing that Sunny was the Sunny he was thinking she was. Sunny seemed as if she cared a lot about her… Was she just friends with Sunny? Or all the Baudelaires? How long did they know her? Blood related or not? Were there other close friends like her or only her? Did-?

“Hey Duncan, you aren’t still thinking about that nine year old kid? Forget about that brat. Who gives too damns? Although I wish you had let me at her. Or at least wash her mouth with some soap. I swear she’s got the mouth of a pirate. She’s worse than… me!” Isadora ranted. Duncan then realised that they weren’t at the same place as they were and Sunny and Bea were nowhere in sight.

“Huh?! Where’d they go? Where’d we go?” Duncan asked bewildered and tilting his head. He turned to his sister. Isadora rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh.

“You didn’t even notice? We went in the other direction and they went home,” she explained.

Duncan felt his heart drop. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice. Now any chance of finding the Baudelaires had gone up in smoke.

Duncan tried to keep hope up. He could find them. They were in the same city, right?

Duncan really hoped they weren’t here just on holiday.

And he hoped they were actually here and he wasn’t jumping to conclusions.

“What are you thinking?” a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. Duncan looked up. Isadora was looking at him with imploring, concerned eyes. Duncan shook his head.

“I was just thinking about the youth of today. Do they all swear so much?” Duncan grinned cheekily.

Isadora laughed and punched his shoulder extremely lightly (Duncan knew that the both of them were very gentle about being physical with each other, not that they were physical in even the slightest with someone else including Quigley, because they were always in constant fear about not hurting the other), “I thought it was something serious, you dimwit. I was almost worried.”

Duncan knew she wasn’t lying. He felt the same. If Isadora was acting not so ordinary then he’d be concerned and the same was for Isadora.

“You could hardly talk though, Izzie,” Duncan said, “You were worse when you were her age.”

Isadora stuck her tongue out, “Shut up.”

Isadora excused herself after seeing an ice cream truck and promised that she’d be right back. Duncan waited for her on a green bench.

Duncan felt guilty about lying to Isadora. But he couldn’t let her hopes get high only for them to drop back down. Isadora wasn’t fragile but he still didn’t want to cause even the slightest pain to her and also wanted to stop any potential pain. All his secrets were revolved around that. That’s why he didn’t tell her about his eating habits, some information he knew that could make her sad or about a few things in which he disagreed with her. Isadora’s happiness came first because she had suffered so much already.

Maybe he would tell Quigley. Quigley might be able to help. But there was one slight problem; Quigley and Duncan weren’t on extremely good terms. They were civil and polite but nothing ore and nothing less.

Another piece of information he had hid from Isadora was that he knew that Quigley had known the Baudelaires, even if it was for a significantly lesser time than the other triplets had. Which was probably a good thing because this probably meant that the Baudelaires and Quigley weren’t particularly caring of each other, maybe liking each other quite so much but Duncan doubted they were as close as other triplets and the Baudelaires were. Quigley also had less in common due to not sharing similar trauma. Not to say that Quigley was a hundred per cent okay. He probably still had some unpleasant memories and issues. Which brought the back to square one; Quigley and Duncan plus Isadora had some unsolved issues that would make it difficult to work together.

Duncan had found out about Quigley and the Baudelaires back in the first month of being on the Great Unknown.

**_ FLASHBACK _ **

_Young teen Duncan Quagmire was taking a walk around the Great Unknown. The Great Unknown was always bustling and hardly ever quiet. Even at night there some people quietly chatting. Fernald and Fiona were talking about one thing or another. Duncan had never thought about the man as more than the hook handed man who was in cahoots with Count Olaf and that was more than enough to come to the conclusion that Duncan didn’t want anything to do with him and didn’t think about him much. It was weird to see him talking and joking with a young girl, his sister, and being so natural. He didn’t ever talk to the triplets but Duncan could live with that. Anyway Duncan decided to just take a walk around. Isadora was asleep for once and Duncan couldn’t sleep, for once. He didn’t have anyone else. Hector was a sort of friend but he was asleep and Duncan and Hector were not particularly close. There was Quigley but…_

_He had found out Quigley was alive a month ago but…_

_Quigley had joined VFD._

_VFD, the organization which was vile and cruel. They didn’t care about hurting child or helping hurt people or saving anyone. Just wanting to find that damn sugar bowl or whatever was in it and defeating the other side. Their parents had joined it. And so did Quigley._

_And Quigley wanted them to join it despite all the hurt that had caused him and Isadora. Quigley’s  siblings. And so many other people._

_Duncan hated his parents most of all for it. Why would they have joined VFD? Especially due to VFD’s treatment of children. Why didn’t they think about them? They had even probably wanted the triplets to join VFD since they had given them private tutors to learn journalism, poetry and cartography._

_Duncan walked for a while, still pondering about this when he saw a face identical to his. The owner of the face was sitting on and reading something. Duncan’s first instinct was to walk away, escape as soon as possible before it got awkward for the both of them._

_“Are you also going to lecture me about this all?” a voice interrupted coldly._

_Duncan sighed and turned around._

_“Yeah, sure. In fact, I’m glad you’re going. I can have a moment of peace instead of hearing yapping.”_

_Duncan press his lips together in annoyance and tried to ignore the other boy._

_“That’s what she does whenever she sees me. Quigley, how could you be so dumb? Quigley, I thought better of you. Quigley, if I was as utterly stupid and absolutely blind as you then I’d just shut up,” Quigley mimicked bitterly._

_Duncan was mad now. He clenched his fists trying to calm himself a little. He didn’t say anything to Quigley and avoided him instead but he did not get to taunt Isadora. He turned to Quigley. Quigley hadn’t put down his book but he was occasionally glancing up._

_“You’re not any better,” Duncan accused, “You’re always telling us that we should join VFD. Why should we? You saw VFD just sitting there when Isadora and I were captured. Do you know Isadora was hit? Do you know we were starved? Utterly humiliated and dehumanised but you went on some quest thinking it was a fairy tale adventure,” Duncan glared furiously._

_“Our parents joined VFD-”_

_“I couldn’t give two damns about them,” Duncan said with a note of finality in his voice and his face was flushed. Quigley looked as if he had been slapped. He froze and looked at Duncan with extremely wide eyes. Quigley stuttered for a bit before taking a deep breath and giving a look to Duncan that was at very least absolutely venomous and hateful. Duncan gave a thin lipped smile in return. Quigley looked as if he was looking for the right words._

_“Didn’t you also think it was some fairy tale adventure when you disguised yourselves as the Baudelaires along with a sack of flour? I did the same when helping VFD-” Quigley started._

_Duncan then interrupted with shock evident in his voice, “How do you know about that?”_

_Quigley smirked in satisfaction. “Violet told me. So you admit-”_

_Duncan interrupted him again, “No, no. When did you meet the Baudelaires?” He demanded. So Quigley may have an idea of the Baudelaire and where they were. Duncan almost grinned but he remembered about his situation._

_“We met on the Mortmain Mountains,” Quigley explained, “The place was-”_

_“What had-?” Duncan interrupted yet again._

_“Stop interrupting me!” Quigley shouted angrily and clenched his teeth. “I hate it when people do that and you know it!”_

_Duncan wanted to bite back that Quigley knew that he was being one sided about VFD but he decided to let it slid._

_“Speaking of the Baudelaires, they also decided on joining VFD. I told them about how I joined and how all of our parents were fighting people like Count Olaf and they decided to join,” Quigley said, in a voice at had a satisfied and cheery undertone. Duncan, however, did not share the happiness._

_“You caused the Baudelaires to join VFD!” Duncan asked horrified. Oh my god… Duncan hoped that the Baudelaires were smart and realised that VFD sucked and were a bunch of child abusers but he also assumed that Quigley would have realised that but he didn’t._

_Duncan didn’t notice the change of expression in Quigley’s face._

_Quigley then stood up, “Go away Duncan,” he said, his voice dripping with venom._

_“No, no, no. Quigley, tell me about the Baudelaires?! Where were they? Do you know anything about them? What had happened?” Duncan asked desperately. But Quigley avoided eye contact and bowed his head, his fringe covering his eyes. Quigley then turned around and walked away. Duncan’s eyes widened. No… he needed to know… Duncan ran after Quigley and grabbed his shoulders._

_“Quigley! Please tell me!” Duncan begged. Quigley said nothing. “Come on, Quigley… I need to know! Please!”_

_Suddenly Quigley shoved Duncan off and ran off. Duncan looked at his quickly retreating figure in shock._

**_ END FLASHBACK _ **

Quigley didn’t get around telling Duncan the whole story even when they had almost mended their relationship. Didn’t tell Isadora either. Duncan would know. He supposed Quigley had felt too ashamed to tell them about the Baudelaires. And since Isadora and Duncan had gotten even closer than ever then Quigley would hardly ask Duncan and Isadora about how he was and vice versa.

Duncan then realised that Isadora had arrived with ice creams. She grinned had handed Duncan one. Duncan smiled and hid the fact that all this thinking had taken away his appetite. But he forced down the ice cream extremely slowly so it wouldn’t offend or sadden Isadora or make her suspicious. He didn’t know which was worse.

 

 

Quigley sat down on his normal bench and smoked on his normal cigarette. He really started wondering if he should change to something stronger but he hardly had the money.

“So you do come here every day,” a voice stated. Quigley sighed.

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully Isadora and Duncan don't sound like bad guys. That's not the intention.


End file.
